Machine for separating lasts and shoes.



J, M. BENJAMIN. MACHINE FOR SEPARAIITING LAST-S AND SHOES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. H. I917.

Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

J. M. BENJAMIN. MACHINE FOR'SEPARATING LAS-TS AND SHOES.

APP LICATION FILED FEB. 17.49171 Patented Apr. 8,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEEf 2 Lasts and Shoes,

T onnion.

JOHN MILTON BENJAMIN, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING LASTS AND SHOES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN M. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, provements in Machines for Separating of whichthe following description, in'connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to machines for separating lasts and shoes and more particularly to ma hinesof the general type illustrated in United States Letters Patent 'No. 1,203,571, granted November 7, 1916, upon my application, Serial. No. 13,385, filed March 10, 1915, in which the-shoe is held while the last is pulled therefrom by a pulling, mechanism constructed 7 and arranged automatically to conform its line ofpull to effect separation with minimum resistance from the shoe operated upon,--and consequently'with minimumstrain upon the shoe parts. i

In machines of this type, the last with its shoe is mounted upon a holding member or support which is moved by the operator to position the shoe incooper'ative relation to certain shoe gripping instrumentalities, a clutch treadle being subsequently operated to start the power-operated cycle of the machine which closes the gripping means upon the positioned shoe and causes the pulling mechanism to operate to extract the last from the gripped shoe. Obviously, an interval of time elapses and the aggregate of these intervals in a days work represents'a substantial amount of time lost. Elimination of this time wastage by causing the mechanism of-the machine to be started responsively to movement of the shoe to a position of cooperation with the gripping instrumentalities substantially increases the output of the machine.

Accordingly, a feature of the invention consists in operatively connecting the starting mechanism with the last and shoe support or holder in such manner that the v Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed February 17, 1917. Serial No. 149,336.

have invented certain 1111-.

between the positioningof the shoe and the starting of the machine,

Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

starting mechanism is operated in response to'movement of said support or holder to'the position in which the supported shoe is in cooperative relation to the shoe gripping instrumen'talities.

An increasing number of hinge lasts are being used in the manufacture of shoesand, since this type of last is more readily extracted from the shoe when the locking means for its hinge is released or the last broken than the solid or non-hingedtype, an arrangement and combination of parts which automatically breaks the hinges of hinge-type lasts, when the last with its shoe is presented to the shoe gripping means in the ordinary operation of the machine, represents a substantial contribution to the rapid and successful operation of the machine.

To this end, therefore, a further feature of the invention consists in means arranged to break the hinges of hinged lasts upon which shoes have been lasted and which come to the machine to have the lasts extracted from the shoes. As herein shown, and as a further feature of the invention, said means are arranged to break the hinges automatically upon the presentation of the last and shoe support to the gripping means for the shoe.

In machines of the described type, the last pulling mechanism exerts a constant lengthwise pull on the last in the direction of the heel of the shoe while at the same time pull.- ing the last downwardly in a direction sub stantially perpendicular to the plane of the last bottom to clear the edge of the shoe counter. Until the last heel has cleared the shoe counter the heel end of the shoe opposes lengthwise heelward movement of the last and there is no appreciable lengthwise heelward component of movement on the part of the last. A spring in the pulling mechanism causes said mechanism yieldingly to pull the heel end of the last downwardly during the first part of the pulling operation so as to prevent injury to the shoe parts during the crucial stage of separation, the compression of the spring during this period increasing the normal tendency of the last to move lengthwise heelward and storing up power QEGCUX G to accelerate lengthwise heelward movement of the last when the last heel clears the shoe counter.

The spring means providing thisincreased:

tendency for lengthwise heelwardlast'move-- ment in machines constructed in accordance with said prior application and patent, has

proved generally satisfactory'in'use. Inafew instances, however, this lengthwise thrust has been of suflicient force to injure" the back seams of shoes, a particularly shoes;

of light construction. In order to make the ing theperiod of relative vertioal'movement of the last heel and shoe counter to cleareach other. I

Accordingly, another feature ofmy invention consists in means auxiliary to the last and shoe separating mechanism which is effective to reduce normal lengthwlse relative thrust of the last heel and shoe counter during said period. In the illustrated machine, a spring acting against the bellcrank lever to which the last carrieris attached, is arranged to yieldindependently of movement ofthe lastpulling plunger and responsively to resistance offered by the shoe counter to lengthwise thrust of the last heel and thereby to reduce said lengthwise thrust while the last heelis moving to clear the shoe counter; After the bottom ofthe last heelhas cleared the top of the shoe counter, this spring is effective through compression to accelerate the lengthwise heelward movement "of the last.

A further feature of the present -invention consists in means, auxiliary to the last and shoe separating mechanism, cooperating with said mechanism and exerting-force tending to increase the force of the normal relative lengthwise separating movementof the shoe and last after the last heel and shoe counter have cleared each other, with means to yary the force so exerted "to suit the requirements for high and low shoess With high shoes, stronger backward, or lengthwise heelward, pull is required "than with 'low shoes or oxfords, since the last must be pulled len 3;thwi se with sufiicientforce to overcome the resistance offered by the backstays of the tops of high shoes. In the illustrative emb'odiment,'two concentricsprings are employed, these springs being arranged to be compressed by the pulling of the last during the crucial "stage of. the operation'as described and cooperating with the pulling mechanism to increase the force of' 'th'e lengthwise component of pulling movement after the last heel has cleared the shoe counter. One of .these springs will representa force suitable "for: low -shoe workand the other spring an added force suflicient to meet the extra demand for high shoe work. This last spring is arranged quickly to be 1 rendered inoperative and to 'be again' restored to operative condition so that the operator can change the spring power in an instant.

As previously practised, the heel extremity of the shoe has. been positioned against a backstop and the shoe gripped and'held'by gripping,ameanssoperating against opposite sides of the shoe counter. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention; I have shown counter and heel" gripping blocks and shank supporting fingersrsuclras shown in thex rior patent,previously referred'to. In the use of these gripping devices it? has been found thatin operating on shoes having thin upper stock-,:.there=is a tendency to Wrinkle'the up-i per leather at the counter; particularly if it is not glued to'thezcounter, owing to the tendency of' theshoevery slightly to turn relatively to its: grippers during the extraction of' the last Afurther featureofthe invention 0011-, sistsiin means providinga backstop t and support for the counter of the shoe which may be'used without counter, heel or-shank grippers, the operatorholding theforepart of the 'shoe' against the back stop and sup port and approximately in a :horizontal plane, or which may'be'used in combination with the counter, heel and shank supports, or any of' them and which will prevent turn= ingof the shoe andwrinkling of the upper under the describedand similar conditions; This back stop and counter support isin the-form 1 of a suitably supported backing memberto which is attached a pad or block of relatively soft resilient material, preferably rubberyhavi'ng inits face a concave recesscurvingbutwardly to the-face ofthe block at its base to form a lateral support for the upper-endof'the counter and'contoured= both vertically and horizontally to conform-approximately to the corresponding contours of the -heel end of a shoe.

Since the-counter is embraced at'opposite side's of'its lOngitudinal' median line and the undercut curveat the top of the counter receives lateral support, (the last and shoe being-in invertedposition"), any slight tendency ofthe'extremity' 0f" the shoe toturn downwardly -under last pulling "tension is taken upby -the=compression of the elastic cushion'formingthe back stop and counter support" 'so that there is rubbing movement between the shoe counter and its support as to cause the formation of wrinklesin the thinnest upper stock.-

These-and other features,-including certain novel-constructions, apparent from the following detailed specino such relative will be more fully 1 y power from a Fig. 4 is a detail of the spring tension control.

Machines of the illustrated type embody an upright hollow column 2 in the upper ortion of which is journaled a shaft rotated continuously rotating power driven pulley 6 loose upon the shaft 4 and transmitting power to the shaft through a suitable clutch of the one cycle type operated to connect the shaft and pulley by a suitable actuating lever such as the starting treadle 8. Motion is transmitted from shaft 4 to a cam shaft 10 by reducing gearing. A cam on the cam shaft operates through a bell crank lever 12, cross-head 14 and suitable connections coincidently and yieldingly to move counter grippers 16, heel grippers 18 and shank grippers 20 into gripping engagement with the opposite sides of the shoe. Subsequently certain cams become effective to depress a thrust bar 22, swinging downwardly the forward end of a lever 24 connected to the lower end of a plunger 26 and effective to move said plunger downwardly.

Downward movement of this plunger is arranged to effect the sepantion of the last from the shoe. A bell crank lever is pivotally mounted on the upper end of this plunger, its upper arm 28 having the rear end of a last carrier or holder 30 pivotally secured to its upper end. This carrier intermediate of its ends, is provided with an upstanding last pin 32 to engage in the last thimble of the last, and has its forward end formed to serve as a handle by which the operator may swing the carrier upwardly to position the last-carried shoe in cooperative relation to theback stop and gripping means.

The lower arm 34 of the bell crank lever has pivotally attached to its forward end, the upper end of a rod 36 upon which, at a point below arm 34, a spring housing sleeve 38 isadjustably secured. The lower end of this rod extends freely through a bore in the forward end of a bracket 40 secured at its rear end to the lower end of plunger 26 and moving with said plunger. Between the upper face of the bracket and the sleeve 38 a coiled spring 42 is sleeved on rod 36,

this spring being compressed by downward movement of bell crank arm 34 responsive to resistance offered by the shoe counter to lengthwise thrust of the last during the first part of the pulling operation so that as soon as the last heel clears the shoe counter, the tension of the spring acts against the bell crank lever to accelerate the lengthwise rearward movement of the last.

My invention contemplates the provision of additional spring means which may be readily placed in operative 0r inoperative condition and which, when operatively conditioned, will cooperate with the bell crank lever similarly to spring 42 further to increase the force of lengthwise rearward movement after the last heel has cleared the top of the shoe counter. This increase is desired, as previously stated, to overcome the additional resistance offered by the back stays of high shoes. Accordingly, a coiled spring 44 of less diameter than the spring 42 and concentric therewith is sleeved upon the rod 36 with its upper end engaging the housing sleeve 38 and with its lower end abutting a washer 46 mounted upon the rod 36 and freely movable through a bore in bracket 40, means being provided as later described to detachably anchor this spring and washer to the bracket so that the rod may slide therethrough. The bore in this bracket is increased in diameter below the top of the bracket to receive a locking sleeve 48 sliding freely on rod 36 and having a bayonet slot 50 in its upper edge arranged to cooperate with a pin 52 extending inwardly from the bracket 40 to a point to coiiperate with the bayonet slot without extending within the line of movement of the washer 46. Obviously, the sleeve 48 is of a substantially larger diameter than the washer 46, and since both the washer and sleeve are .bored to slide upon the rod 36, the sleeve 48, when turned to release the pin 52, may slide to the lower end of rod 36 and engage the head 54 of the rod, the washer 46 and sleeve 48 being forced downwardly by the spring 44 until the sleeve abuts the top face of the head 54 as shown in Fig. 1. The coiled spring 44 will thereby be distended, its length being figured to be such that when the locking sleeve is re leased, the distension of the spring 44 will prevent any appreciable pressure of the spring against the arm 34 of the bell crank lever. Obviously, downward movement of the arm 34 during the first part of the last pulling operation will not act against spring 4 4 itwill be obvious that when arm 34C of the bell crank ismoved-downwardly during the pulling of the last, spring 42 and spring 44 will both becompressed and their combined' tension will be effective against the bell crank lever to move the last lengthwise rearwardly of the shoe when the-last heel. clears the shoe counter.

At the base of the column 2: above-the alined portion of the treadle 8, a bracket 56 is attached to the column. Pivoted to the forward end ofthe bracket at a point intermediate of its ends is a lever 58, the forward end of the lever havingattached thereto the upper end of a depending link 60 whose lower end is pivotedto the clutchactuating lever 8. Since it may be necessary, as in making adjustments, tooperate the clutch independently of the last pulling operation the lever 8 may be advantageously formedas a foot lever or treadle. A "chain or similar connection 62 is attachedto the rear end of the lever .58 and to the last carrier 30 adjacent to its forward end and is of such length that when the last carrier 30 is swung upwardly by the operator a sufficient distance to position the shoe on the last in cooperative relation to the back stop and shoe gripping blocks andfingers, the lever 58 and link 60 will be moved sufficiently to operate the treadle '80 to start the power operated cycle of the machine.

A bracket 64 is adjustably mounted upon the head of the machine rearwardly of the gripping members, and extends forwardly over the position occupied by the shoe. At a point rearwardly of the heel end of the shoe it is formed with a flat-sided vertical bore, through which a stem 66 extends downwardly to a point in line with the heel end of the shoe position and is provided with a backing plate 68 to which a back stop and counter supporting block 70 are attached. The rod 66 with its backing plate and block 70 is adjustably supported from the bracket by means of a set screw 7 2.

Forwardly of the rod 66 and at a point in line with the heel of the positioned shoe, the bracket is formed with a second fiat sided bore, through which a rod 74 extends downwardly and is provided at its base with a heel gage plate 76, adjustably supported by the set screw 78, the top face of the heel of the shoe engaging the plate76.when the shoe is positioned in cooperative relation to the back stop 70 and to the counter and heel grippers 16 and 18.

Forwardly of this point the bracket is curved upwardly and terminates in a split clamping sleeve 80, similarly having a flatsided bore therein to prevent turning of the horizontal rod 82 clamped in the sleeve, the forward end of this rod terminating at a point above the forepart of the sole of a positioned shoe and having fixedly attached .of the recess to obviate esa-s16 theretoa split; clamping member '84, having a vertical bore. therein. The upperend of a vertical ro'd 86is clamped in this here. Its

lower! BllCliSzPI'OVldGCl: with a bearing. bracket hinge of the last as=previously described.v

Accordingly, when the operator mounts a hinged last with its. shoe on the last-pin 32 of the last carrier 30 andswings the last carrier upwardly to position the. shoe in; co-

operative relation to the heel gage plate,

backstop land the gripping instrumentali-ties, he bringsthesole-of a supported shoe against the roller 90 wit-hisuflicient force to break the lock of the hinge joint; of the last-so that the last is in condition readily tobe pulled from theshoe whenthe latter is-gripped. It will be seen, therefore, thatinstead of having to break the lock of the hinge joint of the last beforemounting, the last on. thecarrier, the

operator merely mounts the last upon the carrier in the usualmanner and swings it smartly upwardly, properly positioning the shoe, breaking the? lock of the hingejoint of the lastand automatically starting the power operated cycle of the machine at oneandthe same time.

The block 7 0 is of relatively soft, resilient material, such as soft rubber, and has its outer face formed with a concaverecess92 extending from a point adjacent to the lower edge. of the block upwardly to the upper edge of the block, forming at its lower end an outwardly and laterally" inclined seat 9a to accommodate the inwardcurvature of the upper end of the counter at the extreme'end of the heel and supporting the counter against vertically downward movement. Preferably, I the concav'ed. portion of the block adjacent to its upper end is. undercut, as at 96, to receive the headofa suitable member for'securing the blockto the backing plat 68 with this head out of the plane any contactwith the Preferably, the rear counter of the shoe.v

face of the. block 7 0. is formed with a suit- .ablezseat forthe edgesof the backing plate to insure rigid: support for the'block.

Whenthe last is pulled from the. shoe, the downward and rearward direction of the pulling; forc has a; tendency to cause the shoe slightly toz'turnrelatively to its .gripping means'and slightly to move its heel end downwardly relatively to the back stop. ,As previously stated, this, tendency has-resulted, with previous constructions, in permitthin upper stock may wrinkle.

- tion, power operated operator.

be used in combination ting slight relative movement between the back stop and the counter with the result that if the upper is not glued to the counter,

The outwardly inclining supporting surface 9% of the block 70 supports the. counter against appreciable downward movement, the soft resilient material permitting compression of the material by the exerted; force without causing relative movement between the back stop and upper material to wrinkle the upper. In fact. the support afforded by the back stop and counter supporting block 7 0 is of such positive characterthat the counter and heel gripping blocks, and the shank supporting fingers illustrated herein, may be omitted and the forepart of the shoe may be grasped and supported by the hand of the Obviously, however, the back and counter supporting block 7 0 may with the counter, or heel grippers, or both, and also with the shank supporting fingers, if desired.

While the various features of theinvention have been .illustrated and described in connection with a speclfic type of mechanism, they are not limited to use in the combination with the specificstructures disclosed or to the particular type of machine, except as specifically stated in the appended claims.

I-Iaving, described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for separating lasts and shoes, in combination, last holding means stop and shoe holding means relatively movable to position the shoe on a supported last and said shoe holding means in cooperative relamechanism for effecting relative movement between the last holding and shoe holding means to separatethe last and shoe, starting means for said mechanism, and means to operate said starting means by relative movement of the last holding and shoe holding means to cooperative relation.

2.; In a machine for separating lasts and shoes, last holding means movable to position the shoe on a supportedlastin cooperative rela- -l tion-to said shoe holding means, power operated mechanism for eflecting relative movement between the shoe holding and last holding means to separate the last and shoe, and starting means for said mechanism responsive to the movement of the last holding means into operative. position.

' power operated 3. In a machine for, separating lasts and shoes, in combination, lastholding means and -shoe gripping means "relatively movable to position the shoe on a supported last and said gripping means incooperative relation,

mechanism 7 gripping means to grip and hold the positioned shoe and for subsequently effecting gripping relation.

' shoes,

power operated mechanism, 1n combination, shoe holding means, 1

means and last holding means effected movement of for causing the relative movement between the last holding and shoe gripping means to separate the last and shoe, starting means for said mechanism, and means to operate said starting means by relative movement ofthe last holding and shoe grippingmeans to cooperative 4:- In a'machine for separating lasts and shoes, in combination, shoe gripping; means,

last holding means manually movable to po- I sition the shoe on a supported last in 006perative relation to said gripping means, power-operated mechanism tov operate the gripping means to engage and hold the positioned shoe and-subsequentlyv relatively to move the last holding and shoe gripping means to separate the last and shoe, starting means for said mechanism, and operative connections between; said starting means and last holding means constructed and arranged to actuate the starting means by manually effected movement of the last holding means to position the shoe in cooperative relation to the shoe gripping means. I

5. In a machine for separating lasts and shoes, in combination, shoe holding means, last holding means manually movable-to position the shoe on a supported last in cooperative relation to the shoe holding means, power operated mechanism for effecting movement of the last holdingmeans to pull the last from the shoe in directions substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shoe bottom and lengthwise heelward of the shoe, starting means .for said mechanism, and connections between said starting means and the last holding means constructed and arranged to actuate the starting meansby manually effected movement of the last holding means to position the shoe into cooperative relation to theshoe holding means. I i

6. In a machine for separating lasts and in combination, shoe gripping means, last holding means manually movable to position the shoe on a supported last in coope erative relation to said gripping means, to operate the gripping means to engage and hold the positioned shoe and subsequently to move the :last holding means in a direction to pull the last from the shoe in directions substantially perpendicular to the plane of the last bottom until the last heel clears the shoe counter and thence lengthwise heelward of the shoe, starting means for said mechanism, and I operative connections between the starting efiective to means by the manually the last holding means to a position in which the supported shoe is actuate said starting in cooperative relation to the shoe gripping means. 1 I

7. In a machine for separating lasts and shoes, in combination, shoe gripping means, a pullingmember, a last holder operatively 1 ..oonnected therewith and mountedfor manually effected movement relatively tothe pulling member and :shoe grippingimeans to p- ;sition "the supported shoe in cooperative re- "lation to said gripping means,lpovver operated mechanism'efi'ec'tive to m o-ve said pullv ing member-and last holder in directions'to pullthe ,last-=from the shoe, for said mechanism including .an' actuatmg starting means lever, and operati-veconnections from said lever tosaidlast holder effective to actuate sa-idjlever, and; the :starting -means/ by the manually efi'ected moveinent of the last holder to a position vin- Whichthesupported shoe is in cooperative, relation to itheashoe gripping means.

shoes, in

-8." '11 a machine for separating lasts and combination, last holdmgmeans and shoe holding means relatively movable cooperative relation to position; the' shoein a supported last in i to the shoe holding means, power 'Qperated mechanism for. ef-

fecting relative movement between the last holding means and shoe holding means to separatethelast and shoe, 'a one-cycle clutch for said, power mechanism including a starting lever, anduneans operated ,bysaid relative shoe positioning-movementof theilast I holding and shoe holding means to operate ,said lever and start the poweroperatedcycle t ot' the machine.

a machine 'for separating lasts, and shoes, in eombinat on, :shoe holding means,

.- last holding means movable toposition the shoe on a hingedlast in cooperative relation to the shoe holding means,imeans' for breaking the hinged last, and mechanismior effecting relative movement between the last holding means and the shoe holdmgameans 40 to separate the last and shoe.

'10. In a mach neforseparating lasts and shoes, ingcombinationpshoe gripping. means,

1 last holding means movable to position the an abutment member 7 of last movement to be engaged by the foreshoe on a hinged last incooperative. grip- .ping relation to the I positioned in the line part of the-shoe; topbreak the last, i and mechanism for causing said grippingmeans to engage andhold the pos tloned shoe: and 1 for "subsequently efi'ectmg relat1ve-. movement between the last" holding and, shoe gripping means to a separate; the last and shoe.

l lasts and shoes in combination, shoe gripping means, a lastholdmg membermanually movable to, posit on 'the'shoe on a sup- -11.' -'In a machine for separating hinged I ported l a st in cooperativegrippingrelation her, positioned to engage Zthe bottom of the forepart of a shoe so positioned, and mechato said gripping means, an abutment memnism to cclose the-gripping-means upon the postioned shoe tohold the :shoe, and relatively to move-- the shoe gripping means and last.

'shoe holding means,

counter,

and arranged to cooperate with sald mecha-- shoe gripping means,

last movement and last holding meansto separate theshoe and 12.- Ina machine for separating hinged lasts and shoes, in combination, shoe holding member .manually mov able to position the -shoe .on a su'pmeans, a a: last; holding ported lastinlcooperative relation to said an abutment member positionedto engage thebottom of the forepart of shoe so'positioned, andmechanisln operable to move the last holding member to pull the last from the shoe.

n a machine for separatingshoes and lasts,

in combination, last holding means,

shoe holding means, mechanism for effect mg relative movement of the lastholding .means and the shoe holding means to separate the last and shoe includingrelative -movement of the shoe andlast holding means lengthwise ofthe last and shoe after theshoe counter and last other, multiple spring means constructed and arranged to cooperate Wlth said mechan sm to exert additional force in said length- Wise separating movement and means inoperatively to condition one of said spring means to vary the amount of said additional force. I

- 14. In a machine for separating lasts from'shoes, in combination, shoe holding means and last holding means relatively movable to position a supported shoe in cooperative relation to the shoe holding means, mechanism operable to effect movement ofthe last holding-means to separate the last from the wise heelward movement of 'the last holding shoe including lengthmeans after the last heel clears the shoe and auxiliary: means constructed nism additionally to force the lastholding means lengthwise heelward and including a pl-urality ofpower units operative conjointly to force to overcome the resistance of the tops provide maximum additional mechanism operableto efiect movement of the last holding means to pull the last from the shoe in a direction substantially perpendicular v to the plane of the last bottom until the'la-st heel clears the shoe counter and then lengthwise heelward of the shoe, and auxiliary means constructed andarranged to co-ioperate with said mechanism additionally to force .the last heel clearv each g lengthwiseheelward and-in- .zClLlCliIlg apluralityot springs arranged conjointly b01116 compressed by the movement .ofithe last-holdingmeanstto clear the last heel from the shoe counter and subsequently effective to accelerate the lengthwise last movement and means inoperatively to con dition one of said springs for compression.

16. In a machine for separating lasts from shoes, a last holder, a supporting member for said'holder pivoted for swinging movement, a plurality of springs constructed and ar ranged to act against said supporting member to swing said holder, and means inoperatively to condition one of said springs.

17. In a machine for separating lasts from shoes, a last holder, and means to operate said last holder to ull a last from a shoe, including a, plunger, a bell crank lever fulcrumed on the plunger, a last holder pivoted to one arm of said bell crank lever, a plurality of springs constructed and arranged to act against the other arm of the bell crank lever to swing said first mentioned arm and the connected last holder in a direction lengthwise of a supported last and means for inoperatively conditioning one of said plurality of springs. Y

18. In a machine for separating lasts from shoes, in. combination, a plunger, a bell crank lever fulcrumed'on the plunger, a last holder pivoted to one arm of the bell crank lever, an abutment below said bell crank lever, a rod pivoted to the other arm of said bell crank lever and guided through said abutment, a plurality of springs sleeved on said rod and interposed between said bell crank arm and said abutment, and means to release one of said springs from compressive engagement with said abutment.

19. In a machine for separating lasts from shoes, in combination, means for holding a last, means for holding ashoe comprising a support of compressible material having a concave recess therein curved to receive the portionof thecounter at the extremity of the shoe and to support the lower edge of said extremity of the counter against depression, and mechanism for effecting movement of the last holding means to separate the last from the shoe.

20. In a machine for separating lasts from shoes, in combination, a back stop and support for shoes fixedly positioned and including a block or pad of compressible material having a concave recess therein curved to receive the counter portion at the extremity of a shoe and to support the lower edge of said extremity of the counter against depression, a last holder arranged for manually effected movement to position the extremity of the counter in cooperative rela tion to said recess in the backstop and support, and mechanism for effecting movement of the'last holder in a direction to pull the last from the shoe. 7

21. In a machine for separating lasts from shoes, last holding means, a back stop and counter support for shoes comprising a block port.

support against depression the lower edge of the counter portion engaging the back stop, and mechanism for moving the last holding means in a direction'to remove the last from a shoe engaging said counter sup- In a machine of the class described, the combination with last holding means, shoe holding means and mechanism for effecting relative movement of said holding means to effect relative separating movement of the shoe and last including relative lengthwise movement, ,of auxiliary means cooperating with said mechanism constructed and arranged to reduce the normal relative lengthwise thrust of the last heel and shoe counterfduring relative vertical movement of the last heel and shoe counter to clear each other.

23. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with last holding means.

shoe holdingmeans and mechanisnrfor effooting relative movement of said holding means to efi'ect relative separating movement of the last and shoe producing relative lengthwise thrust of the last heel and shoe counter, of auxiliary spring means cooperating with said mechanism constructed and arranged to yield responsively to resistance offered by the shoe counter to, said lengthwise thrust to reduce the normal relative lengthwise thrust of the lastheel and.

shoe counter during the relative vertical movement of the last heel and shoe counter to clear each other. i

24. In a machine of the class described, the combination with last holdingmeans, shoe holding means and mechanism vfor efi'eoting relative movement of said holding means to efiect relative separating movement of the last andshoe producing relative lengthwise thrust of the last heel and shoe counter, of auxiliary spring means cooperating with said mechanism constructed and arranged to yield responsively to resistance oflered by the shoe counter to said lengthwise thrust to reduce the normal relative lengthwise thrust of the last heel and shoe counter during the relative vertical movement of the last heel and shoe,

ingthe last holding means to remove a last e from its shoe. with. alengthwise component of -movement producing lengthwise thrust ofthelast heel against the shoe counter, of auxiliary. means cooperating. with said mechanism constructed and, arranged to re- .ducesaidlengthwise thrust of the last holding' means and last responsively to resistance .ofi'ered. to said lengthwise thrust by the counter portion of the shoe.

26. In a machine of the class described, the combination with shoe, gripping means, last holding means and mechanism for movingthe last holdingmeans to remove a last from its shoewith alengthwise component I of movement producing", lengthwise ,heelward .thrust of the last heel against theshoe counter, of auxiliary spring means cooperating with saidlast holding means and with said mechanism constructed and; arranged to, cause the last holding means and last to yield lengthwise responsively to resistance offered by the shoe counter to lengthwise thrust of the last to reduce the normal lengthwise thrust of the last heel against theshoe counter.

27. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with shoe gripping means,

" last holding means and mechanism for movyield lengthwise responsively to .resistance ofi'ered 'byythe shoe counter to lengthwise thrustof the last to reduce the normal lengthwise thrust of the last heel againstthe shoe counter, said spring means acting through compression by said. resistance offered by the shoe counter to acceleratelengthwise'move- .ping means and last. removing-means comprising a plunger, a bell crank lever fulcrumed on the plunger, a last carrier connected to one arm of said lever and a spring .actingiag'ainst the other arm of said lever mounted to, yield independently of movement of. said plunger and responsively to swinging movement of said lever in one di ,rection.

129.7111 a last pulling machine, shoe gripping'means, and last removing means com- V prising a plunger, a .bell crank lever fulcrumed on the plunger, a last carrier connected to. one arm ofsaidi lever, a spring support carried by and movmg with said plunger and a spring interposed between said support and the other arm of said lever and yieldingly opposing'swinging movement of said lever in one direction.

30. In a last pulling machine, means for gripping the counter portion of a shoe, and last removing-means comprising a plunger ,positioned rearwardly of said counter grip- ,pmgmeans; and'movable in a plane substantially perpendicular. to' the bottom of a 'gripped'shoe, a bell crank lever fulcrumed on said plunger, a last carrier connected to one armof saidlever, a bracket carried by and moving with said plunger, a rod "guided in said bracket and connected to the other arm of said lever, and a coiled spring acting against said lever arm sleeved on said rod between Stud bracket and saidlever arm and yieldingly opposing swinging movement of said lever in one direction.

In testimony whereof I havesigned my name to this specification.

JOHN MILTON BENJAMIN.

- Qo'pies of'tl is-rpatent may be obtained for five ccnts-cach,-by addressing'the Commissioner--01 Patents,

' 7 I Washingtomi): G. 

